Queensland Law Society lauds 2025 Excellence in Law awardees

The Queensland Law Society recently hosted its annual Excellence in Law Awards event to celebrate the state’s legal professionals who have made outstanding contributions and displayed dedication, innovation, and leadership within the local legal community. 

According to the law society’s news release, the event at Brisbane City Hall on Saturday, 9 August 2025, spanned 12 award categories. 

The law society specifically congratulated the following awardees: 

• Access to Justice Award: Amber Buckland, senior executive director at Legal Aid Queensland, and Nadia Bromley, chief executive officer at Women’s Legal Service Queensland 
• Agnes McWhinney Award: Pippa Colman, director at Pippa Colman Family Law and an accredited family law specialist 
• Emerging Leader Award: Claire McGee, a senior associate at Gilshenan & Luton Legal Practice and an accredited criminal law specialist 
• First Nations Student Award: Rikisha Phineasa, a Torres Strait Islander woman and law and arts (Indigenous studies) student at James Cook University 
• Graduate Lawyer of the Year Award: Shelly Brown, a graduate of the University of the Sunshine Coast and a lawyer for family law firm Catton & Tondelstrand Lawyers 
• In-House Counsel of the Year Award: Joshua Caeiro, senior legal corporate counsel at Rio Tinto, with experience across mining and energy organisations 
• Pro Bono Team of the Year Award: McCullough Robertson’s pro bono partner Tim Longwill and chief operating officer Kim Trajer 
• Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Sole Practitioner) Award: Robert Grant, principal at Grant & Associate Family Lawyers and an accredited family law specialist 
• Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Small Firm) Award: Belinda Kochanowska, founding principal of Intrepidus Law, which focuses on disability rights 
• Queensland Solicitor of the Year (Large Firm) Award: Anthony Conaghan, senior partner for intellectual property and technology at Thomson Geer 
• Regional Practitioner of the Year: Diane Ruhl, principal of the Ruhl Family Law Centre in Townsville 
• Pride in Law Award: Denise Maxwell, legal practice director and founder of Hensen Maxwell Solicitors and supporter of the state’s LGBTQIA+ community

In its news release, the law society thanked the judges, award and event partners, and award ceremony attendees.